Friday, February 24

A - Z of essential oils { Tea Tree }

When I first got a whiff of tea tree oil in my Mom's little shop all those years ago I was a bit taken aback by the rather sharp, herbaceous smell! Tea tree is indeed a powerful antiseptic that has been used by the indigenous people of Australia for centuries. Its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties make it useful for a wide range of conditions, including all sorts of infections, sunburn, acne, athlete's foot among other things. Since then I've grown accustomed to the fresh, medicinal aroma and tea tree is now a firm favorite in my basic care kit!

Due to its acidity, I recommend diluting tea tree with a carrying agent like aloe vera or witch hazel when applying to skin. Alternatively it may be blended with a little almond or jojoba base oil. Less is definitely more in this case.

Blend together 5 drops Geranium, 2 drops Tea Tree and 2 drops Eucalyptus essential oils. Store in a small glass bottle. Each morning and night use 5 drops of this mixture to add to 1 teaspoon almond oil. Massage around neck, behind and in front of ears, over nose and forehead. Take care to keep away from eyes.

Tea tree is my favorite EO! I've been using it since high school. When we went to Australia a few years ago, there was a lake called Lake Ainsworth that was at the base of a ton of tea trees and the water was full of the oil. Swimming in the lake was incredible!